Age of Zaram (Game)
Age of Zaram (abbreviated to AoZ) was a successful text-based RPG released by Q Games Studios in 2012. Although meant to be a stand-alone at the time of its creation, it inspired the Age of Chaos turn-based pen and paper strategy game, which takes place before the events of Age of Zaram. AoZ also serves as an indirect prequel to the Black Hearts series, taking place nearly 3000 years before Black Hearts: The Original Game. Unique from other Q-Games productions, Age of Zaram was not a futuristic game, but has a fantasy setting. The game features magic as the center of its plot, and takes place in medieval times. Elements of this game, most notably magic, would be brought back in Black Hearts: Cataclysm. Setting Age of Zaram takes place in a fantastical interpretation of a period of history. It is unclear exactly what year the story takes place in. The fact that the Chinese Emperor's name is Li (and the fact that the Roman Empire has already fallen) would place the story in the Tang Dynasty, about 618-907 CE. AoZ takes place in a time called the Age of Zaram, which came directly after the Age of Chaos. The Age of Chaos was a time of war, which erupted shortly after magic was discovered in the Age of Awakening. The power of magic was too much for humans to control, and although some used it for good, many used it for evil. The wars during the Age of Chaos were terrific, and many perished within the conflicts. The Age of Chaos came to an end when a man named Zaram united the lands and became king. However, Zaram, blaming the magic users on the damage dealt to the world, banned magic (though this would turn out to be merely an excuse for his greater plans). Zaram's men prosecuted magic users everywhere, killing or imprisoning many. Nevertheless, numerous people still practice magic in secret, and one of the main characters, Danish, is one of them. The magic story begins when Danish is discovered by Zaram's men that he is secretly using magic. The warrior story begins with Leonidas on a hunt for mages. Gameplay The gameplay is standard for a text-adventure, one person (the player) makes the decisions on what to do while the other person (the server) tells them the consequences of their actions, controls the non-player characters, and prevents the player from doing what they cannot. The game has a trade system between the player and certain non-player vendors. The player can buy objects with coins, as well as trade Ancient Runestones for various pieces of magical equipment. Age of Zaram uses a classical character creation method. The character would select a class, which would impact gameplay, and also choose a name. However, in canon, the two main characters will always be a necromancer named Danish and a warrior named Leonidas (NOT the Spartan king, merely named after him, as Leonidas is a still-existing Greek name). The story is seperated into four parts, called chapters. The first chapter varies according to the class chosen by the player (there are different stories for magic-users and non-magic users). The two heroes, Danish and Leonidas, join forces in the second chapter. The thief class has a unique story, which is considered non-canon. Plot Chapter 1 (Magic): Outlawed The plot begins in a regular village in India (modern day Pakistan), where Danish resides alone. Danish was facinated by magic, and would often go to a nearby ruin to delve what secrets he could. Using the information from the ruins, Danish learns some secrets of necromancy. However, one day, Zaram's men arrive at the town, and begin to destroy the ruins. Infuriated, Danish attacks the guards, and is aided by a horde of resurrected skeletons. The skeletons begin to lose the battle, and the puppet-master himself appears, saving Danish and leading him to a small hut, where the man lives. The man reveals himself to be Syon, a powerful necromancer who fought in the Age of Chaos, when he was known as Sentient. He was a "friend" of Danish's biological mother, who asked him to look after her son after she died in the wars. Syon offers to teach the young man magic, and after 18 months of training, Danish emerges as a true necromancer. Chapter 1 (Non-Magic): Hunter The plot begins in Greece, where Leonidas, a young warrior, is under the service of King Zaram. He is a member of the 4th Legion, an army who are actively hunting mages. On one day, he and a team of men pick up the trail of a wizard, and tracks him down to a remote cave. The men enter, only to find that it was a trap. Leonidas, who was wary of the situation, was the last to approach the cave, and the sole member to not be trapped inside. He watches helplessly as his friends are killed before him by a powerful Earth mage. The mage finally lifts the barrier and confronts Leonidas, who ultimately emerges victorious. Leonidas is promoted and given better equipment. Examination of the wizard's cave discovered a journal which speaks of a group of wizards hiding in the criminal underworld of Athens. Leonidas, now head of a team, is sent to Athens to investigate. There, he arrests several mages and uncover a huge crime ring involving wizards and the trading of banned magical artifacts and weapons. However, during the investigation, he discovers that his sister Leona has become a mage, and although his duty is to kill all magic-users, his morals compel him to do otherwise. In his hesitation, his men attack Leona, and his instincts kick in. The twins defeat Zaram's warriors, and Leonidas, having betrayed the king, is now forced to flee with Leona. The two travel across Greece, running away from the reinforcements Zaram sent once he received word of the illegal magic users in Athens. Chapter 2: Rebellion Chapter 3: Demon Chapter 4: Plague Characters Category:Games